Around the World
A year after Chinese authorities shut down the 11th annual Beijing Independent Film Festival (BIFF), the New York-based Cinema on Edge Festival plans to reintroduce a selection of the top BIFF films this month to an American audience. Reflecting on the American festival’s narrow focus and limited reach, Westerly Gorayeb explores the ways in which controversial independent art shows often fall short in achieving wider political goals.
Meanwhile, energy shortages throughout Africa are creating a large-scale opportunity for products like Tesla Energy’s new Powerwall. Aurelien Chu and Samuel Miles explain how small-scale energy storage will radically transform Africa’s energy landscape.
Globally, urban renewal projects are demolishing and replacing towering historical structures, resulting in the marginalization of existing communities. Using Toronto as his case study, Ross Curtner discusses how arts-focused cultural programs can help limit the negative impact of urban development and control the scale of gentrification.
On today’s episode of World Policy On Air, Professor Hiroshi Amano, a member of the Nobel Prize-winning team that developed the blue light emitting diode, discusses the science behind his groundbreaking work and the future of global energy efficiency.
Around the Institute
The World Policy offices will be closed for vacation during the last two weeks of August. While we will be taking a short break from the newsletter, you can follow our activities at www.worldpolicy.org & stay tuned for an exciting set of events in the fall!
Fellow Updates
Alon Ben-Meir, in an article for The Huffington Post, argues a coordinated political solution between the Assad regime and the global superpowers offers the best solution to ending the horrific Syrian civil war.
Erica Dingman, in a blog for Arctic in Context, discusses the environmental paradox nations face in their scramble for Arctic resources.
Lawrence Gutman, in an interview with CNNMoney, explains why major American companies are placing increasing pressure on their representatives to catalyze U.S.-Cuban trade by lifting the debilitating embargo.
James H. Nolt, in his latest for Polarizing Political Economy, explores the intricacies of the global “savings glut” by examining the larger trends in the allocation of international credit.
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[Photo courtesy of Abri le Roux and drnan tu]